Marco Rubio Downplays Bombshell Report on Russia Helping Iran: ‘Putin’s Got His Own Set of Problems’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the significance of a bombshell report that revealed Russia explicitly stated its intent to help Iran in its war with the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at a summit in Kyrgyzstan and reaffirmed his country’s support of Iran, The New York Times reported Tuesday:

“During this difficult time, we are trying to provide you with the assistance you need,” Mr. Putin told the Iranian leader in Bishkek. “We have discussed this with you and are supplying you with the necessary goods.”

On Wednesday’s episode of The Brian Kilmeade Show, Kilmeade read that quote back to Rubio and confronted him with the fact that “now we have the Russians saying directly, ‘We’re helping you out.'”

Rubio insisted no assistance to Iran from any country would prevent the U.S. from achieving its objectives.

“Yeah. Well, in the case, unfortunately, of Iran, we’re not aligned with the Russians and the Russian system in terms of their view of the situation,” Rubio said. “You know, obviously Russia has their own hands full with Ukraine and that effort there. But I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: nothing that anyone is providing Iran is in any way impeding our ability to act as necessary to protect the United States.

“That said, it is clear that in the case of what Iran is doing, we are not necessarily fully aligned with the Russian position on it. But Russia’s got, you know, and Putin’s got his own set of problems that I think take up the majority of his time and focus, which is, you know, the war with Ukraine and, frankly, the impacts that these Ukrainian strikes are having on the Russian economy in combination with sanctions.”

Rubio’s interview came on the same day the Financial Times published a bombshell report revealing Russia was helping Iran develop supersonic missiles. That came two weeks after another report that stated Russia was providing Iran with shipments of ammunition and drone parts.

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